1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pickup truck bed low profile tool box with sliding lids mounted across the pickup truck bed just behind the pickup truck cab at the front of the pickup's bed inside a protective ridged shell with a removable fastback hatch door.
A pickup truck's cargo bay is important as a useful area to transport and store tools, parts and material; however, a pickup truck user does not always need the whole cargo area to store tools and parts. Therefore, a smaller storage and transport area in the form of a low profile tool box with sliding lids mounted across the pickup truck bed inside a rigid shell is very useful and gives the user more options.
Because conventional pickup truck bed tool boxes that are mounted across the pickup bed are not compatible with rigid pickup bed shell designs it has been necessary for the working person to choose between a rigid pickup truck bed shell that covers the whole pickup bed or a tool box across the pickup bed. Both the tool box across the pickup truck bed and the full bed rigid shell are useful for different reasons and uses.
Tool boxes mounted across the pickup truck bed near the cab are useful for several reasons: to protect tools in the pickup bed from weather or theft, and keep tools segregated from other items that might be in the cargo area.
Popular types of rigid pickup truck bed shells extend at least to the top of the pickup truck's cab, mount flush with the pickup truck bed side rails and have a rear door to access the items in the cargo area. There are many styles and configurations of rigid pickup truck bed shells that are designed for specific or general purpose use.
These conventional rigid pickup truck bed shells are incompatible with existing tool boxes that mount across the pickup bed because the tool boxes extend into the mounting area needed by the rigid shells and the tool box would not be accessible if a rigid shell could be mounted over the tool box.
2. Background Art
An example is disclosed in U.S. patent Ser. No. 05/832,512 issued Oct. 34, 1978 to Windecker et al. titled “Fast-back cover for the bed of a pickup truck” Windecker discloses a fastback style rigid pickup truck bed shell in which the whole rear two thirds of the shell has to be lifted to access the cargo bay of the pickup truck. The Wendecker pickup truck shell cannot accommodate a tool box across the pickup truck bed under the shell and the shell does not have a rear hatch door for convenient access to the cargo bay and the tool box from inside the cargo area. The rear area of the Windecker may be removable for hauling tall loads but it is uncertain.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,439 B1 issued December 2001 to Scott P. Crossman titled “Handling Storage Unit for a truck cargo bay”. Crossman discloses a hanging storage unit that hangs below a low profile pickup truck bed cover. However the Crossman invention is not designed to fit a common rigid pickup truck shell that is raised above the bed. The Crossman storage unit is not accessible when the low profile cover is closed or if the storage unit is near the front.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,188 issued Apr. 22, 1980 to Albrecht titled “Vehicle Accessory System”. Albrecht discloses a tool box 140 mounted across the pickup truck bed supported above the cargo area floor by sections of the tool box resting on the side rails of the pickup truck side rails. The tool box incorporates centered hinged covers, allowing access to the tool box from either side. However, there is a disadvantage with the Albrecht tool box unit; it extends above the pickup truck bed side rails preventing the user to have the added utility of a rigid shell over the whole pickup bed.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. patent Ser. No. 06/320,195 issued Nov. 13, 1984 to George G. Bell Jr. titled “Load Body” Bell discloses a load body that can replace the pickup truck bed. The load body has a type of gull wing doors but the load body does not have an internal tool box nor does it have an easy and convenient way to haul over sized items.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,180 issued Apr. 7, 1992 to Jerry D. Finley titled “Vehicle cover with sideways accessible storage container”. Finley discloses a Vehicle cover with a storage container across the vehicle and accessible through simple doors. However this unit does not have gull wing doors or a fastback rear hatch door and it cannot haul tall cargo with the cover in place.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,819 issued Jul. 8, 2003 to David C. Block titled “Truck Shell”. Block discloses a truck shell with side panels that open up but are not true gull wing door and Block does not have a fastback style nor removable rear hatch door. Block cannot accommodate a tool box across the pickup truck bed.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,067 issued May 30, 2006 to Eric L. Walker titled “Combination bed-liner and toolbox for pick-up truck”. Walker discloses a pickup truck accessory combining side mounted tool boxes and a bed liner. The tool box lids open upwardly in a clam shell configuration more than as gull wing doors and has no full coverage of the pickup truck cargo bay.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. D566,646 S issued Apr. 15, 2008 to John Whittaker titled “Universal tool carrier”. Whittaker discloses a tool carrier that can be hauled in a pickup truck cargo area and has both upward opening as well as downward opening doors. Whittaker is remotely related to pickup truck shells.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,268 issued Sep. 16, 1997 to Durwin L. Bump titled “Protective door for service compartment”. Bump discloses a protective door system that opens upward. This patent is issued for the way the doors seal.